Safe Antibiodics?

[granny]

Does anyone know of antibiodics that are safe for us? I have a lot of respiratory problems and just got off antibiodics that really did a number on my bowels. I'd had diarrhea for so long and then went gluten-free and LF and was so thrilled to be rid of the diarrhea and then wham! here I go again? Granny

[seeking-wholeness]

Granny,

Antibiotics may very well do that to you, even if they are gluten-free. They undoubtedly save many lives, but their main drawback is that they can't distinguish between "friendly" bacteria, which live in our colons and help our digestion function efficiently, and the invaders that need to be thrown out. Antibiotics kill all the bacteria in sight, resulting in digestive problems and diarrhea until the "good guys" repopulate the colon.

You might want to take a probiotic supplement for a couple of weeks to speed up the recolonization process. My recommendation would be to check out the one specifically formulated for your blood type at Open Original Shared Link. (Use the search feature, located on the red bar, and enter the word probiotic; then select the product that matches your blood type.) The reason I recommend a blood-type-specific formulation is that many friendly bacteria actually use the molecules that determine your blood type as a food source (which is a good thing; don't worry!). This means that some species live happily in a Type O body but can't survive very well in a Type B, and so on. If the bacteria can't survive, they can't do their job, so it makes sense to select only the species that are best suited to live in YOUR body.

Of course, I don't mean to suggest that antibiotics don't contain gluten--many certainly do! You should definitely check with your doctor or pharmacist about which medicines are safe for you to take. I hope you feel better in short order!

[granny]

Granny,

You might want to take a probiotic supplement for a couple of weeks to speed up the recolonization process.

Hi, Thanks for the reply! I don't even know my blood type but keep telling myself that it's something I really need to check on. <grin> You mentioned taking a probiotic supplement, can you explain this? Is it something like Acidophilus? I take 3 of these daily and when I have diarrhea, I take 6 daily. I have been off the antibiodic for several days now and am begining to recover now, which never happened before I went gluten-free so I'm thrilled! Granny

[seeking-wholeness]

Granny,

Yes, acidophilus is a probiotic. I'm glad it's helping you! Maybe the gluten-free diet will help reduce the frequency of your respiratory problems, so you won't have to stay on the "antibiotic treadmill" for much longer. I agree with you, though--it's just a good idea in general to know your blood type. After you get it tested, have a look at those probiotics--they're an impressive mix of friendly bacteria. (And while you're gathering useful information, I suggest reading about the Blood Type Diet in the book Eat Right 4 Your Type. It can't hurt to check it out, and it might "speak" to you! I'm a fan of it; can you tell? )

I'm so glad you're starting to feel better! Have a great day!